Bryony Frost

Bryony Frost, 27, is the daughter of Grand National winning jockey Jimmy Frost, but first rose to prominence in her own right when winning the St. James’s Place Foxhunter Challenge Cup at the Cheltenham Festival on Pacha Du Polder, trained by Paul Nicholls, in March, 2017. The following July she turned professional and, on Boxing Day, won the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park on Black Corton, also trained by Nicholls. In so doing, she became just the second woman – after Lizzie Kelly, who won the same race on Tea For Two two years previously – to win a Grade One jumps race in Britain.

Indeed, 2017/18 proved to be a breakthrough season for Frost. All told, she rode 38 winners, including Milansbar, trained by Neil King, in the Grade Three Classic Chase at Warwick. She also had her first ride in the Grand National, on the same horse, finishing a staying-on fifth, beaten 32½ lengths, behind Tiger Roll. The following November, Frost rode Marienstar, trained by King, to victory at Kempton Park, taking her career total to 75 winners and becoming just the fifth British-based National Hunt jockey to ride out her claim.

In March, 2019, Frost won the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on Frodon, trained by Nicholls, thereby becoming the first woman to win a Grade One race at the showpiece fixture. The following month, she won the conditional jockeys’ title, finishing the season with 49 winners – 11 more than second-placed James Bowen – making her just the second woman, after Lucy Alexander in 2012/13, to do so. In December, 2020, Frost also won the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Frodon. In so doing, she not only became the first female jockey to do so, but also took her career tally to 175 winners, making her the most successful jockey in British National Hunt history.